In the prestigious QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, Durham’s broad subject area of Natural Sciences has entered the world top 100, while Mathematics has posted a notable improvement in its global position.
This year’s results recognise significant momentum across science disciplines at Durham. The broad subject area of Natural Sciences has entered the world top 100, reflecting strong performances across fields such as Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy, and Mathematics.
Mathematics has improved its global position in the 2026 QS subject table. It is now ranked among the world’s top 200 in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026.
Professor Douglas Smith, Head of Department, Mathematical Sciences, said:
“We’re pleased that Mathematics is now ranked among the world’s top 200. It’s a credit to our research culture and to the dedication of our staff and students. It’s also good to see Natural Sciences ranked so highly in the world top 100 overall.”
The QS World University Rankings by Subject are among the most prestigious global rankings, assessing universities using indicators including academic reputation, employer reputation, research citations, and international research collaboration.
The 2026 rankings analysed more than 6,200 institutions worldwide, with 1,900 universities ranked across 55 subjects, producing over 21,000 individual ranking entries.
As a University, we have achieved a best-ever 22 subjects in the world top 100, including three in the world top 10, and 10 in the world top 50. Four ‘broad subject’ areas and 17 ‘narrow subjects’ improved their positions compared with last year.
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